Another Nail Biter Goes to Quakes to Clinch Series

STOCKTON, Calif. — It was another back-and-forth nail biter between the Ports and Quakes on Saturday night, with Rancho Cucamonga hanging on for a 7-6 win over Stockton to clinch a series win.

Starter Steven Echavarria allowed just one run in his start, as the 18-year-old phenom allowed a walk and a steal to speedster Kendall George and an infield single put Rancho ahead 1-0. The Ports would come back immediately with a three-spot in the bottom of the first.

Dereck Salom walked and Ryan Lasko doubled to left center to start the bottom of the first, before T.J. Schofield-Sam doubled down the right-field line to score them both, and the Ports were on top 2-1. A fly ball from Nate Nankil got Schofield-Sam to third and Darlyn Montero plated him with a sac fly to left for a 3-1 lead.

In the fifth, the Quakes would erupt for five runs against Derek Corro to take the lead for good. A double, hit by pitch, and a walk loaded the bases before three singles, a sac fly, and a ground out made it a 6-3 game. Clark Elliott would crush a ball 415 feet to right center for a home run (3) to cut it down to 6-4. The Ports would get two more runs on a Schofield-Sam home run (3) in the eighth to make it 7-6, but Reynaldo Yean and his triple-digit fastball struck out the side to end the game.

Lasko moved his hit streak to six games, while he and Naylor’s on-base streaks are now up 19 and 18 games respectively.

UP NEXT
The series finale — and finale game before the All-Star Break — will be the first 6:05 PM start on a Sunday this season at Banner Island Ballpark, with LHP Wyatt Crowell (0-0, 0.82) versus the Ports’ RHP Jackson Finley (0-5, 6.06).

It will be a Kid’s Club Day, a Family 4 Pack game, and A Bark in Park Sunday. Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2024 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at [email protected].